Do you remember the first time you watched David Fincher's "Se7en"? The dread, the creepy darkness that sucked you in as you watched it? Well get ready for ten episodes of those same thrills with Fincher's MINDHUNTER.
Based on the true story of John Douglas' career as the man who invented the profiling of serial killers & his book of the same name, MINDHUNTER is fantastic.
Jonathan Groff (Hamilton, Frozen) stars as Holden Ford. Young, brash, socially blunt and brilliant, Ford shatters the good old boy approach to tracking violent offenders.
Using psychology, family history and personal interviews, Holden drags the FBI into the 20th century, kicking, doubting and screaming.
Holden's partner is Bill Tench, really well played by Holt McCallany. Previously cast by Fincher in "Alien 3" and "Fight Club", he builds a character torn between the old ways, building issues at home and growing admiration for Holden's approach.
Over the ten one hour-ish episodes, we get pulled in as Holden and Bill start interviewing notorious serial killers.
Their first is the truly disturbing Ed Kemper, disturbingly played by Cameron Britton (The Girl in the Spider's Web). Britton nails the seductive gentle spirit of this giant of a killer. When Kemper does go off, it puts you on the edge of your chair.
Fincher and his fellow directors build huge anticipation of these recorded sessions as the team slowly penetrates lower into their twisted history. They always deliver.
Most of the recorded interviews are almost word for word recreations of the actual interviews Douglas did with these real life killers.
Anna Torv (Fringe) is the third member of the trailblazing trio of investigators. A former professor, she joins the team to help structure the approach to the madmen. Torv's terrific, holding her own and then some, just as fans of Fringe's FBI Agent Olivia Dunham have come to expect.
Carefully crafted to honor the time, locations and truth behind the story, Fincher's eye for detail in the production design, music and costumes is incredible.
For viewers that have only seen Goff in "Hamilton" or 'Glee", they're in for a shock with his adult, conflicted work here.
It's fascinating to watch the changes in Bill and Holden as they delve deeper into the dark souls of these killers. It changes them and we watch it happen through Fincher's uncompromising eye. Fincher fans know and appreciate that he's never going to look away when things grow the darkest.
That's why we're watching.
MINDHUNTER is fascinating and gets an A.
Followed by Season Two, both richly produced by Netflix.
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